Former NYPD Chief to Head Homeland Security Department

President George W. Bush will nominate former New York City Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik to succeed Tom Ridge as secretary of homeland security today, administration officials told news organizations yesterday.

Kerik was appointed police commissioner by former New York City Mayor Rudolph Guiliani in 2000 and served until the end of Giulani’s term in 2001. He gained national attention as head of the New York City Police Department, earning praise for his leadership in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center.

The Department of Homeland Security was created in 2002 in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks. As the first secretary of homeland security, Ridge received acclaim for protecting the country from further terrorists attacks. However, critics claim he has exploited the terrorist threat for the Bush administration’s political gain.

Both Kerik and Giuliani campaigned for Bush during the 2004 election and spoke at the Republican National Convention, serving as prominent advocates for Bush’s leadership fighting terrorism.

His nomination follows an overhaul of the cabinet since Bush’s reelection last month. Bush’s recent nominees for new positions include National Security Advisor Condoleeza Rice as secretary of state, Deputy National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley as national security advisor, and White House Counsel Alberto Gonzales as attorney general. In addition, Nebraska Governor Mike Johanns was nominated yesterday as agriculture secretary.